The Legend of Chu Qiao - V1C19
Prologue 1- Major Chu Qiao
Prologue 2- A Storm is coming
Prologue 3- Time's up!
Editor's note: Zhuge Clan Estate (SiHeYuan)
1- Royal Hunt
2- Zhuge, Wei, Mu, Jue, Che... and Yan
3- Fifth Brother
4- Fate is a Bitch!
5- Bloody Heart
6- Bastards
7- Snakes
8- Boundaries
9- Rocks and Plum Blossoms
10- Thank You, Sisters!
11- My name is 'None'
12- The Lantern Festival
13- Liar, Liar!
14- Everything Happens for a Reason
15- Ambushed by a pervert. Saved by a prince.
16- Insomnia
17- Reckless Revenge plot
18- I Remember Everything
19- Rats!
20- Yan Xun in danger. Zhuge Yue suspicious. Chu Qiao plotting.
Chapter 19
Rats!
Rats!
"Sister Yue'er." Xiaoba called out, but Chu Qiao hurriedly covered her mouth.
The little girl had bright eyes and was looking around. She took out the embroidered bag and put it in Xiaoba's hands while saying quietly, "Xiaoba, there is not much time left. If I do not come to find you by dinner tomorrow, you must run away from the back door of the horse’s barn, where all the food is kept. I will find a way to distract the guard from leaving his post tomorrow. The door will be unguarded for two hours before dinner. Here is some money and a fake identity certificate. Hold it with you safely and leave the city quickly. Don't wait for me."
"Sister Yue'er?" Xiaoba immediately grabbed Chu Qiao's hand and said, "What are you planning to do? Are you going to get revenge? Xiaoba also wants to help you. I can't leave you alone."
"Listen and be a good girl." Chu Qiao patted her head and said, "Only two of us are left in the Jing family. I am the older sister, so you need to listen to me. If someone remains alive, the Jing family will survive. You can still help me get revenge if something happens to me."
"But Sister Yue'er…"
"Xiaoba, listen to me. When you leave the city, head north. When you reach San Yi City at the Xia and Tang Empire border, please wait for me for three days. You should leave if I have not arrived after three days. You don't have to worry; this is just the backup plan. Once I get out, I will find you."
Xiaoba pursed her lips tightly with reddened eyes and suddenly held out her hands to wrap them around Chu Qiao's waist. She cried while choking on her tears, "I know Sister Yue'er can always resolve any problem. Nothing bad will happen to you."
Chu Qiao hugged her shoulders, smiled, and said, "Don't worry. We will soon leave this place. In the future, people won't be trying to hurt us."
In the cold winter weather, the moon was shaped like a crescent. The wind blew against the snow, creating a dull atmosphere.
The following day, Chu Qiao woke up early as usual and went to Zhuge Yue's room to serve. However, she was told that the Fourth Master had left early and was no longer in the Zhuge residence.
Chu Qiao thought, Even the gods are helping me.
She turned around and walked toward the inner courtyard. Just as she approached the Green Pavilion in its center, she was stopped by Zhuge Yue's guard, Yue Qi. Less than fifteen years old, the guard stared at her coldly and said firmly, "The Young Master commanded that Xing'er is not allowed to pass through the gate."
Chu Qiao was taken aback and curious about Zhuge Yue's intentions. With a charming smile, she looked up and said, "Big brother, I'm not leaving the courtyard. I just wanted to check if the new tea leaves that arrived yesterday are still fresh." With that, she turned and made her way to the kitchen.
A short while later, Huan'er emerged from the kitchen. Yue Qi frowned and asked, clearly puzzled, "Where's Xing'er?"
"She's inside the kitchen picking tea with the others," Huan'er replied.
Yue Qi frowned again, concerned. "With her current status, why does she need to do this work?"
"Huh? Do you really think Xing'er is as pretentious as Jin Zhu and Jin Cai?" The maidservant raised an eyebrow, looking at Yue Qi with disdain. "You’re a bit snobby too!"
The white clouds drifted lazily across the sky; it was such a lovely day!
Chu Qiao found a convenient excuse to slip out of Qing Shan court. Wanting to avoid being noticed, she chose the most concealed route via the garden. Just as she reached the plum trees, a shadow suddenly appeared, startling her. To her surprise, it was a teenage boy with bright eyes and handsome features who looked quite familiar.
"Don't be afraid. I'm Feng Mian, Prince Yan's page boy. He sent me to deliver a message to you."
"A message?" Chu Qiao narrowed her eyes, studying Feng Mian. "How did you know where to find me?"
Feng Mian laughed and said, "My Master told me that if I couldn’t get into Qing Shan court, I should hide in the most secluded path, and I'd surely find you."
Chu Qiao scoffed, "Your Master seems to be quite knowledgeable."
"Indeed, he is brilliant," Feng Mian replied with a cheeky grin, showing off his white teeth.
"What does he want to say? Hurry up, I'm busy," she urged.
Feng Mian was taken aback and thought to himself, This little servant is extremely pretty and has quite a distinct personality. It’s no wonder His Royal Highness Yan Xun and Fourth Master, Zhuge Yue, pay her such attention.
He quickly responded, "He wanted to let you know that he needs to return to Yan Bei tomorrow morning, so he wishes to say goodbye to you tonight. He’d like to meet you at the same place as you saw each other."
"Back to Yan Bei?" Chu Qiao replied, clearly puzzled. "The Prince is a political hostage here in the capital. Why would he suddenly leave for Yan Bei?"
Feng Mian answered, "I’m not entirely sure, but our King of Yan Bei sent a messenger requesting the Prince’s return. Something must be urgent. The Grand Elder's council has approved his departure for tomorrow morning."
Chu Qiao nodded and said, "Tell your Prince that as a servant, I am not allowed to leave Qing Shan residence at will. Besides, the Prince’s return to Yan Bei is of no concern to me. I don't even have the right to say goodbye to him."
Feng Mian smiled and replied, "My Master said that if you want to go, no one can stop you. I can't say if this applies to you. Since you're busy, I'll take my leave now." Smiling, Feng Mian disappeared into the plum trees and noticed a shadow climbing the tall wall of the compound. Chu Qiao couldn’t help but think that the Zhuge residence's security was so slack that even an innocent-looking Feng Mian could enter and wander around freely.
After an hour of careful movement, Chu Qiao finally arrived at the side yard of the outer courtyard, next to the male servants' dormitories. The yard belonging to Housekeeper Zhu of the Zhuge family was unguarded and right before her. At that moment, Housekeeper Zhu was holding a box with a sorrowful expression. The box contained a decaying hand, which looked grotesque.
Suddenly, a loud noise echoed. Housekeeper Zhu, alarmed, grabbed a dagger with his only remaining hand and rushed outside with wide eyes, shouting, "Who’s there?"
Silence reigned. There was no response.
Turning around, Housekeeper Zhu saw a white letter lying quietly on the ground, tied with a thread and a stone at the top. It carried a faint fragrance and featured a peach illustration. When he opened the letter, a sudden flicker of disturbing and lewd desire appeared in his eyes. After some thought, he sighed, returned to his chair, and decided not to go outside.
A moment later, another bag was tossed through the window. Housekeeper Zhu opened it and found a woman's red binder featuring a picture of a naked man and woman embracing horizontally. It was crude and very explicit. He felt a surge of blood and excitement.
He chuckled, bowed his head to take a whiff, and uttered, "She couldn't even wait for the middle of the night! Slut!" Soon after, he left after putting on his coat.
The Zhuge Residence was situated in the eastern part of Zhen Huang City, with Mount Chi Song behind it and Chi Shui Lake to the right. Like all SiHeYuan residences in the city, it faced south and covered a large area. A large area meant many corridors, secret paths, and hidden places. Women and children lived together, while men lived separately, and neither gender was allowed physical contact. Despite this, it was common for secret meetings to occur during the dark hours of the night, as nature often found a way around restrictions. It was rarely romantic.
The women's dormitories were located near the main gate of the residence, but other quarters were also available next to the kitchen on the opposite side. The third gate was used for deliveries. A single guard sat at the entrance to a small area, large enough to hold a small stove for heating water, which served both for warmth and for drinking. There was a bamboo mat, a thin cover, and a pot for personal needs. No guard at this post was permitted to leave their station. During the day, there were more guards because the passage was busy and it was crucial to ensure the residence was secure. During the night, almost nobody used the passage, so only one guard was necessary.
The little girl had bright eyes and was looking around. She took out the embroidered bag and put it in Xiaoba's hands while saying quietly, "Xiaoba, there is not much time left. If I do not come to find you by dinner tomorrow, you must run away from the back door of the horse’s barn, where all the food is kept. I will find a way to distract the guard from leaving his post tomorrow. The door will be unguarded for two hours before dinner. Here is some money and a fake identity certificate. Hold it with you safely and leave the city quickly. Don't wait for me."
"Sister Yue'er?" Xiaoba immediately grabbed Chu Qiao's hand and said, "What are you planning to do? Are you going to get revenge? Xiaoba also wants to help you. I can't leave you alone."
"Listen and be a good girl." Chu Qiao patted her head and said, "Only two of us are left in the Jing family. I am the older sister, so you need to listen to me. If someone remains alive, the Jing family will survive. You can still help me get revenge if something happens to me."
"But Sister Yue'er…"
"Xiaoba, listen to me. When you leave the city, head north. When you reach San Yi City at the Xia and Tang Empire border, please wait for me for three days. You should leave if I have not arrived after three days. You don't have to worry; this is just the backup plan. Once I get out, I will find you."
Xiaoba pursed her lips tightly with reddened eyes and suddenly held out her hands to wrap them around Chu Qiao's waist. She cried while choking on her tears, "I know Sister Yue'er can always resolve any problem. Nothing bad will happen to you."
Chu Qiao hugged her shoulders, smiled, and said, "Don't worry. We will soon leave this place. In the future, people won't be trying to hurt us."
In the cold winter weather, the moon was shaped like a crescent. The wind blew against the snow, creating a dull atmosphere.
·········⋆༺π©❀πͺ༻⋆·········
The following day, Chu Qiao woke up early as usual and went to Zhuge Yue's room to serve. However, she was told that the Fourth Master had left early and was no longer in the Zhuge residence.
Chu Qiao thought, Even the gods are helping me.
She turned around and walked toward the inner courtyard. Just as she approached the Green Pavilion in its center, she was stopped by Zhuge Yue's guard, Yue Qi. Less than fifteen years old, the guard stared at her coldly and said firmly, "The Young Master commanded that Xing'er is not allowed to pass through the gate."
Chu Qiao was taken aback and curious about Zhuge Yue's intentions. With a charming smile, she looked up and said, "Big brother, I'm not leaving the courtyard. I just wanted to check if the new tea leaves that arrived yesterday are still fresh." With that, she turned and made her way to the kitchen.
A short while later, Huan'er emerged from the kitchen. Yue Qi frowned and asked, clearly puzzled, "Where's Xing'er?"
"She's inside the kitchen picking tea with the others," Huan'er replied.
Yue Qi frowned again, concerned. "With her current status, why does she need to do this work?"
"Huh? Do you really think Xing'er is as pretentious as Jin Zhu and Jin Cai?" The maidservant raised an eyebrow, looking at Yue Qi with disdain. "You’re a bit snobby too!"
The white clouds drifted lazily across the sky; it was such a lovely day!
Chu Qiao found a convenient excuse to slip out of Qing Shan court. Wanting to avoid being noticed, she chose the most concealed route via the garden. Just as she reached the plum trees, a shadow suddenly appeared, startling her. To her surprise, it was a teenage boy with bright eyes and handsome features who looked quite familiar.
"Don't be afraid. I'm Feng Mian, Prince Yan's page boy. He sent me to deliver a message to you."
"A message?" Chu Qiao narrowed her eyes, studying Feng Mian. "How did you know where to find me?"
Feng Mian laughed and said, "My Master told me that if I couldn’t get into Qing Shan court, I should hide in the most secluded path, and I'd surely find you."
Chu Qiao scoffed, "Your Master seems to be quite knowledgeable."
"Indeed, he is brilliant," Feng Mian replied with a cheeky grin, showing off his white teeth.
"What does he want to say? Hurry up, I'm busy," she urged.
Feng Mian was taken aback and thought to himself, This little servant is extremely pretty and has quite a distinct personality. It’s no wonder His Royal Highness Yan Xun and Fourth Master, Zhuge Yue, pay her such attention.
He quickly responded, "He wanted to let you know that he needs to return to Yan Bei tomorrow morning, so he wishes to say goodbye to you tonight. He’d like to meet you at the same place as you saw each other."
"Back to Yan Bei?" Chu Qiao replied, clearly puzzled. "The Prince is a political hostage here in the capital. Why would he suddenly leave for Yan Bei?"
Feng Mian answered, "I’m not entirely sure, but our King of Yan Bei sent a messenger requesting the Prince’s return. Something must be urgent. The Grand Elder's council has approved his departure for tomorrow morning."
Chu Qiao nodded and said, "Tell your Prince that as a servant, I am not allowed to leave Qing Shan residence at will. Besides, the Prince’s return to Yan Bei is of no concern to me. I don't even have the right to say goodbye to him."
Feng Mian smiled and replied, "My Master said that if you want to go, no one can stop you. I can't say if this applies to you. Since you're busy, I'll take my leave now." Smiling, Feng Mian disappeared into the plum trees and noticed a shadow climbing the tall wall of the compound. Chu Qiao couldn’t help but think that the Zhuge residence's security was so slack that even an innocent-looking Feng Mian could enter and wander around freely.
After an hour of careful movement, Chu Qiao finally arrived at the side yard of the outer courtyard, next to the male servants' dormitories. The yard belonging to Housekeeper Zhu of the Zhuge family was unguarded and right before her. At that moment, Housekeeper Zhu was holding a box with a sorrowful expression. The box contained a decaying hand, which looked grotesque.
Suddenly, a loud noise echoed. Housekeeper Zhu, alarmed, grabbed a dagger with his only remaining hand and rushed outside with wide eyes, shouting, "Who’s there?"
Silence reigned. There was no response.
Turning around, Housekeeper Zhu saw a white letter lying quietly on the ground, tied with a thread and a stone at the top. It carried a faint fragrance and featured a peach illustration. When he opened the letter, a sudden flicker of disturbing and lewd desire appeared in his eyes. After some thought, he sighed, returned to his chair, and decided not to go outside.
A moment later, another bag was tossed through the window. Housekeeper Zhu opened it and found a woman's red binder featuring a picture of a naked man and woman embracing horizontally. It was crude and very explicit. He felt a surge of blood and excitement.
He chuckled, bowed his head to take a whiff, and uttered, "She couldn't even wait for the middle of the night! Slut!" Soon after, he left after putting on his coat.
·········⋆༺π©❀πͺ༻⋆·········
The Zhuge Residence was situated in the eastern part of Zhen Huang City, with Mount Chi Song behind it and Chi Shui Lake to the right. Like all SiHeYuan residences in the city, it faced south and covered a large area. A large area meant many corridors, secret paths, and hidden places. Women and children lived together, while men lived separately, and neither gender was allowed physical contact. Despite this, it was common for secret meetings to occur during the dark hours of the night, as nature often found a way around restrictions. It was rarely romantic.
The women's dormitories were located near the main gate of the residence, but other quarters were also available next to the kitchen on the opposite side. The third gate was used for deliveries. A single guard sat at the entrance to a small area, large enough to hold a small stove for heating water, which served both for warmth and for drinking. There was a bamboo mat, a thin cover, and a pot for personal needs. No guard at this post was permitted to leave their station. During the day, there were more guards because the passage was busy and it was crucial to ensure the residence was secure. During the night, almost nobody used the passage, so only one guard was necessary.
As the side
gate swung open[1], the
guard, bored, greeted warmly, "It’s Housekeeper Zhu! What brings you
here?"
"Yesterday,
there was a leak in the Tao Ran courtyard[2]
caused by melting snow from the second floor, which dripped into the downstairs
hall. I’m here to check on it," replied Housekeeper Zhu.
The guard smiled and said, "You shouldn’t burden yourself with such minor issues. Let me handle it."
Housekeeper Zhu chuckled and shook his head, "I have nothing pressing to do. Is the Third Master in residence today?"
"They have been in the Fourth Master’s study discussing matters all morning. I doubt they will take a break anytime soon."
The guard smiled and said, "You shouldn’t burden yourself with such minor issues. Let me handle it."
Housekeeper Zhu chuckled and shook his head, "I have nothing pressing to do. Is the Third Master in residence today?"
"They have been in the Fourth Master’s study discussing matters all morning. I doubt they will take a break anytime soon."
"Alright
then, I’ll head in. There’s no need to inform the Fourth Master that I’m here. They
probably take a noon rest[3].
Don’t disturb them," Housekeeper Zhu responded with a nod.
"I understand."
At that moment, a small figure was concealed among the trees, with bright eyes and a mischievous smile.
"I understand."
At that moment, a small figure was concealed among the trees, with bright eyes and a mischievous smile.
In Chun Hua
Court[4],
the seventh lady, Duanmu Huaning, was preparing to nap. Her shawl slipped off
her shoulders, revealing her curves and fair, tender skin. Her maid helped her
settle into bed, then left her to sleep as she usually did, naked.
As the maid stepped out, the room fell silent, save for the lady's breathing.
Shortly after, a tile on the roof shifted quietly, unnoticed. A pink bag began to lower, squirming as if something alive was inside. It landed softly on the seventh lady’s pillow, adorned with a lovely peach design.
While she slept soundly, Huaning suddenly felt something licking her ears and neck. She absently touched it and noticed something furry, assuming it was just a dream. But then a sharp pain jolted her awake. Rubbing her eyes, she was startled and screamed, the sound echoing through Chun Hua's garden.
"My Lady! My Lady!" a maid rushed into the room, only to be shocked by the sight. The seventh lady's room was overrun by large, dark, and hefty rats, unafraid of humans. Some were even on her bed, gnawing at her robe.
"Ahhh! Where did these rats come from? Get them out!" she cried out in panic.
That afternoon, the entire court erupted into chaos as everyone scrambled to eliminate the rats.
The seventh lady drank over ten cups of tea in an attempt to calm her nerves, but her anxiety persisted, leaving her trembling.
"My Lady, I found this on your bed," a bodyguard said, approaching her with the pink bag in hand.
The seventh lady took the bag, her eyes widening as she sprang to her feet, exclaiming, "Little wretch! I knew it was you! Come with me to the Tao Ran courtyard. We'll see what I can do for you."
The people from Chun Hua courtyard followed the seventh lady as she headed toward Tao Ran courtyard. Meanwhile, no one saw the child hiding in the corner of a cabinet. Soon after, the whole residence, especially Tao Ran courtyard, was thrown into chaos. Chu Qiao then quietly returned to Qing Shan courtyard via the same route she had used, leaving the disorder behind.
As the maid stepped out, the room fell silent, save for the lady's breathing.
Shortly after, a tile on the roof shifted quietly, unnoticed. A pink bag began to lower, squirming as if something alive was inside. It landed softly on the seventh lady’s pillow, adorned with a lovely peach design.
While she slept soundly, Huaning suddenly felt something licking her ears and neck. She absently touched it and noticed something furry, assuming it was just a dream. But then a sharp pain jolted her awake. Rubbing her eyes, she was startled and screamed, the sound echoing through Chun Hua's garden.
"My Lady! My Lady!" a maid rushed into the room, only to be shocked by the sight. The seventh lady's room was overrun by large, dark, and hefty rats, unafraid of humans. Some were even on her bed, gnawing at her robe.
"Ahhh! Where did these rats come from? Get them out!" she cried out in panic.
That afternoon, the entire court erupted into chaos as everyone scrambled to eliminate the rats.
The seventh lady drank over ten cups of tea in an attempt to calm her nerves, but her anxiety persisted, leaving her trembling.
"My Lady, I found this on your bed," a bodyguard said, approaching her with the pink bag in hand.
The seventh lady took the bag, her eyes widening as she sprang to her feet, exclaiming, "Little wretch! I knew it was you! Come with me to the Tao Ran courtyard. We'll see what I can do for you."
The people from Chun Hua courtyard followed the seventh lady as she headed toward Tao Ran courtyard. Meanwhile, no one saw the child hiding in the corner of a cabinet. Soon after, the whole residence, especially Tao Ran courtyard, was thrown into chaos. Chu Qiao then quietly returned to Qing Shan courtyard via the same route she had used, leaving the disorder behind.
[1]To the left of the main estate gate, there is a side gate primarily used for deliveries, guards, and servants. This gate is secured by a small gatehouse a few meters beyond it, and its entrance is monitored. To the right of the side gate is the residence of Zhuge Yue. This road also gives access to the other residences and the lake. It is a back entrance. The estate, as imagined by the author, is very large, with ample space between each residence, and trees border the road.
[2] Back courtyard, banquet hall.
[3] Naps: Brief, light, afternoon rest was encouraged, often called a "daytime nap". In the early 20th century, China began importing Western educational models that touted afternoon naps as restorative for one’s health. The right for workers to take breaks is enshrined in China’s constitution, and most Chinese employers and schools have two-hour lunch breaks that incorporate a nap (εη‘) or “noon rest” (εδΌ), often to be enjoyed at one’s desk. Source: Sleeping in Ancient Times.
[4] Each concubine has a small courtyard. Chun Hua has one. Another has Tao Ran's courtyard.
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